Regional

Police had a hard time on Friday as protest against possible extension of Article 371(A) gathered momentum in Imphal with protestors storming BJP and Congress offices as well as residence of sitting BJP MP in Imphal.

Intensifying campaigns against the alleged intension of the Centre to extend Article 371 (A) in Manipur to give “special status” to the Nagas as outcome of the framework agreement signed between the NSCN (I-M) and the Centre on August 3, 2015, a large number of students under aegis of the Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) stormed the offices of the state BJP and Congress in Imphal.

Earlier, in the forenoon, leaders and members of joint committee of AMUCO (All Manipur United Clubs Organization), CCSK (Committee of Civil Societies Kangleipak) and UCM (United Committee Manipur) stormed the residence of state BJP president K Babhananda who is also Rajya Sabha MP. The protesting groups demanded MPs from the state to raise the issue of framework agreement on the floor of the Parliament.

The slogan shouting protestors had to struggle with the police and security forces guarding the political parties while storming the offices of the political parties. No untoward incidents were reported in the struggle as police allowed to some representatives of the protestors to submit memorandums they drafted to the leaders of the political parties.

While storming the residence of MPs, the UCM, AMUCO, CCSK were joined by leaders and members of others CSOs.

Among the three MPs from Manipur in the Parliament, two (Lok Sabha) are Congress – Dr T Meinya Singh and Thangso Baite while BJP’s Ksh Babhananda is the sitting lone Rajya Sabha MP from the state.

While storming the residence of Babhananda, the leaders strongly condemned the MPs for not taking up the burning issue closely related with the sentiment of the people of the state to the floor of the parliament.

They warned the MPs that if they were not able to bring up the issue in the parliament knowing the pulse of the people, the CSOs joining hands with the people will launch various forms of agitations against them.

MPs were also urged to meet the Union home minister at their level to know the latest development in the peace talk as well as the contents of the framework agreement.